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Job-hunters were stopping by the tables at the Salem mall throughout the afternoon to fill out applications. Nearly 20 mall retailers said they were looking to fill more than 500 seasonal positions.

"The event we had last year was just such a success and the community really appreciated it so much, as did our retailers, that we decided to host it again," said Emily Hoang of the Mall at Rockingham Park.

Many people filling out applications said they were eager to find work.

"I've been out of work for years now, and I just need to find something, even if it's part-time seasonal just for now," said applicant Nancy Marino.

Some of the retailers conducted on-site interviews as they tried to fill their staffs in anticipation of the busy months ahead.

"At Christmas time we more than double our staff during the typical selling season," said Beth Valentine of Pandora.

While the retailers were looking for seasonal work, many said there are also opportunities for more permanent work.

"When it comes to Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, a lot of those people will come back to us again, so it works out great," Valentine said. "It's a real win-win."

The job fair runs until 7 p.m. Tuesday, but many retailers said they would still be accepting applications in the days to come.

"The interview was great," said applicant Ricky Fonseca. "The employees are nice and everything. It was a straightforward interview."

Officials at New England Fear Fest at Fright Kingdom said they were looking to hire more than twice the amount of people they did last year.

Tim Dunne with Fear Fest said that as the 8-year-old Nashua attraction grows, so does the need for frightening workers.

"We are currently hiring. We typically have a staff between 50 and 52, and we are going up to over 120 this year," Dunne said.

New Hampshire's unemployment rate increased to 5.7 percent in recent months. Nearly 42,870 people are without work in the state, New Hampshire officials said.

The statistics do not account for the under-employed and those who have fallen out of the labor force. For those people, a seasonal job can be a big boost.

"I've been out of work for years now, and I just need to find something, even if it's part-time seasonal just for now," job applicant Nancy Marino said.

Fear Fest officials said they still had about 20 jobs to fill for the season. They were expected to open for business Friday.